The U.S. Just Approved One of the World’s Biggest Solar Power Plants

Todd Woody for TakePart.com: The federal government on Monday green-lit a 485-megawatt solar plant that would generate enough carbon-free electricity to power 180,000 homes when it comes online in the Southern California desert.

During the Great Recession, that was nothing unusual about billions of dollars in federal stimulus money fueling big green dreams of carpeting the Mojave Desert with giant solar power plants on government-owned land, a cornerstone of the Obama administration’s efforts to fight climate change. That land, however, often turned out to be home to desert tortoises, blunt-nosed leopard lizards, and other endangered wildlife. Many of those projects went belly-up in part because of fierce opposition from environmental groups.

That prompted an effort by the federal government to be “smart from the start” about where it allowed big renewable energy plants to be built. So the Blythe Mesa Solar Project, which was approved Monday, will deploy tens of thousands of solar panels across 3,587 acres of already disturbed or fallow farmland where wheat, alfalfa, and citrus had been grown. No desert tortoises will be harmed. Cont'd...

Post A Comment

Featured Product

With a full range of capacity options (85AH-3300AH) and voltage configurations to choose from, Rolls Battery maintenance-free 2V, 6V & 12V AGM and broad range of 2V GEL models offer a valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery option with the same dependable energy storage and heavy-duty construction customers have grown to expect from the Rolls brand for over sixty years. Installed in off-grid, grid-tied or backup float applications, these sealed batteries require minimal ongoing maintenance and provide a versatile energy storage solution for remote or confined installations. Rolls Battery AGM and GEL battery lines deliver superior cycle life and are backed by an industry-leading warranty.